Dragon Naturally Speaking is a fast and accurate voice dictation program for word processing. The software tunes itself to the student’s voice and allows the student to begin dictating with ease.

Kurzweil 3000 is software which reads scanned or electronic text aloud using human sounding synthetic speech. This software has been useful for students with auditory or visual impairments, and students with dyslexia.

This interactive software is available in our library for use in our Study and Resource Room.
Study & Resource Room:

A special study and resource room is available just outside our offices.

Resource Library Checkout:A variety of books are available for checkout. Ask your Success Advisor for details.

Available books include but are not limited to:

Codependent No More & Beyond Codependency

Asserting Yourself - A Practical Guide For Positive Change

How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends

The Complete Book of Questions: 1001 Conversation Starters for Any Occasion

Fill out and USE your student planner, courtesy of TRiO. Stop by the Student Success Center to pick yours up.

Knowing your schedule will allow you to find time for studying. The guideline for studying is to put in 2 hours of studying for each hour of class. This is only a guideline however; you may find you need more or less time for a particular subject.

Filling out a weekly time log will illustrate where you spend your time. Block out time for the following:

Classes

Labs

Studying

Sports practices

Time to eat

Sleep time

Job

Time with friends!

Time for you!

Use different colors for each activity.

Schedule your study time during your “peak” hours – when you are most energized!

Anticipate interruptions when you study. It is best to study in a quiet place; it will likely be quieter in the library vs. your residential hall. However, if you plan to study in your room, make sure your roommate knows your study schedule to avoid conflict.

Working up to 20 hours at a job can actually help you manage your time better. More than 20 hours can become detrimental to your job as a full time student.

Know what your learning style is! Not everyone learns best in the same way.

Take the Learning Styles Inventory and review with your TRiO Advisor.

Notice that a student, on average, retains only 5% through lecture. This means you need to prepare before class, be an active participant in class, and study outside of class!

Because you retain up to 90% by teaching others, a study partner and or a tutor is one of the best ways to study and enhance your knowledge.

Take 10 – 15 minutes to review your notes after class. You can lose 80% of what you learn if you don’t review within 24 hours! This will save you hours of cramming and will allow the information to be moved from your short term memory to your long term

memory.

BUY THE TEXT BOOK!

Skim before class

Read as you cover the chapter in class

Review before the test.

GO TO CLASS!

While in class try to sit front-and-center, there are fewer distractions…and harder to fall asleep!

While taking notes, watch and listen to cues from professors. Illustrations, repeated words/phrases, and intro and summary phrases are likely to be on a quiz or test.

Be flexible; you may need to adjust your note-taking style according to professor.

Label and date all notes.

Leave blank spaces in your notes. Compare with a study partner later; you may need to fill in material you missed.

Use highlighters and symbols! You are much more likely to recall an item that is highlighted and starred vs black and white.

On the same note; highlight sparingly. The point is to mark key concepts for further review; an entirely highlighted notebook/text book will do you no good.

Remember: Tests measure what you scored on a test, not necessarily what you know!

Believe in yourself – see yourself succeeding!

Avoid the guilt: just study! Shut off your cell phone, turn off Wii, and stop procrastinating!

Avoid an all-night study marathon session; exhaustion and over-sleeping won’t help you pass the exam.

Test reviews should be done daily, weekly, and, right before the exam.

Daily (10-15 minutes)

Weekly (1 – 2 hrs)

Extensive (twice a week for an hour before the exam)

During the exam

Read the directions! Don’t assume you know what is be asked.

Jot down any formulas you have memorized.

Note the value assigned to the sections of the exam.

Answer the “easy” or low value questions first; this will build confidence.

Do not hesitate to ask the instructor to clarify any questions you might have.

Not all tests are multiple choice; the following are good guidelines for various exams:

Multiple Choice

Read through all your options

Cross off the answers that are clearly incorrect

“test the possibilities”, Read the choices within the question

True / False

Read the entire question

Be aware of the “always” or “never” answers

Take out the “cans” or the “cannots”

Open Book

Just because it is open book does not mean you don’t have to study! If you haven’t read the book, you won’t know where to find the answer!

Organize your notes and book mark or flag important pages

Essay

Make sure you are answering the question that is being asked

Outline your answer

Did you cover the major points?

Stick to the point! Writing down everything you remember doesn’t mean you are answering the question.

Write legibly. If your professor can not read it, it is hard to grade it!

PROOF READ!

To reduce test anxiety:

Recognize what test anxiety looks like in you: “butterflies”, racing heartbeat, lost of sleep and appetite, nausea, etc.

Tell yourself to STOP!

Breathe deep

Encourage yourself!

Exercise the night before

Remember: it is normal for everyone to get nervous before a big exam. Everyone experiences some level of stress and anxiety. However, continuous test anxiety is a very real concern for many. If this affects you, there is help! Visit with Sally Wickware-Thompson, Campus Counselor and make an appointment with your TRiO Advisor to review your study habits.

Dakota Wesleyan University was named to the 2013 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This designation is the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement.

Dakota Wesleyan University is proudly affiliated with the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Members of any and all faiths are welcome and encouraged to experience an education based on learning, leadership, faith and service.

Dakota Wesleyan University has been honored as a College of Distinction through demonstration of excellence in these areas: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes.

The Chronicle of Higher Education named Dakota Wesleyan University one of the “Great Colleges to Work For®” for 2014-2015. DWU won honors in three categories: facilities, workspace and security, and supervisor/department chair relationship.